Learn How to Build a Shed With These Plans

Homeowners complain about having too much storage space about as often as they do about having an overabundance of cash. It just doesn"t happen.

Nearly every home, regardless of its size, has a shortage of accessible storage space. Need proof? Take a peek into the average garage and you"ll likely find it crammed full of bicycles, lumber, garden tools, trash cans, outdoor power equipment, sports gear and car-care supplies.

An occasional spring-cleaning can help you reorganize and reclaim some space, but it"s only a matter of time before the clutter returns. What you really need is more space, and one of the best ways to find it is to create it by building a backyard storage shed.

At 10 x 16 ft., this handsome garden shed is large enough for most backyard needs. We"ve added an interior partition so it serves double duty as a storage shed and an all-weather children"s playroom. Double doors on the side and gable end make it easy to access the space.

We built the Colonial-style garden shed shown here from a set of mail-order building plans. The 10 x 16-ft. outbuilding has easy-to-install plywood siding, three large windows and two pairs of doors. The entire building could be used for storage, but we decided to divide the interior space into two separate areas: a 4 x 10-ft. tool-storage area and a 10 x 12-ft. children"s playroom.

It"s hard to say exactly how much it will cost you to build this shed. Lumber prices fluctuate almost daily and vary widely from one region of the country to another, but figure on spending between $1600 and $2000. Before starting construction, take your plans to your local building department and apply for a building permit.

American Artist

Step 1: Starting At The Bottom

The shed we built rests on a foundation made up of 12 solid-concrete blocks. The 4 x 8 x 16-in. blocks are arranged in three rows spaced 59 in. apart. These blocks are typically set directly on the ground, but we put down a 4-in. bed of gravel first because our site occasionally receives groundwater. The gravel will keep the soil beneath the shed from eroding or becoming soggy.

After laying out the 12 blocks, use a straight 2 x 4 and a 4-ft. level to ensure that all the blocks are level. Shim up any low blocks with strips of asphalt roofing, cedar shingles or 2-in.-thick concrete patio block. Next, form each front and rear band joist by nailing a 2 x 6 to a 2 x 8 mudsill. Set the mudsills on top of the blocks running across the front and rear of the shed. Cut a third 2 x 8 mudsill to fit along the tops of the center row of foundation blocks.

Original article and pictures take http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to/a170/how-to-build-a-storage-shed/ site


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